Ok, I am sick of loaning out my origonal DVD's...

[nexus_7]

How hard is it to copy a movie dvd to a DVDr or DVDrw?

They need to be playable in a home dvd player....they can do this finally cant they?

Greg

[wvjohn]

dvd copy xpress - copies movie and one soundtrack to one disk - lotsa other ones out there too

[eGoCeNTRoNiX]

If you were wanting to back up a DVD in it's entirety, with all the extras and such, how would you go about doing that? Or does that program handle that? eGo

[shaggy]

Originally posted by eGoCeNTRoNiX
If you were wanting to back up a DVD in it's entirety, with all the extras and such, how would you go about doing that? Or does that program handle that? eGo

I think DVD Xcopy and Xcopy Xpress will both do it, but it will further compress the video and audio when it burns the disk. You basicly end up with a vcd quality movie if you keep all the extras.

DVD X copy Xpress is CAKE to use, and the results are good enough for me. By default it will image and burn the disk with nothing required other then you inserting the orignal disk and a blank. You will wind up with a disk that shows a 3 second "backup" notice and then cuts straight to the beginning of the movie. No menus or options, just the flick. Compatability is mainly based on the age of the set-top dvd player. If it can play a vcd then chances are in can play a DVD-R disk.

[canton_kid]

Sorry it was a double post, see next one.
Darned slow dialup!

[canton_kid]

Awww, come on guys, don't tell me I got one up on you!

First you get "FREE"
DVDshrink. Version 2.3 is good, 3 beta 5 even better. Take both thier small (free too)
http://www.dvdshrink.org/#

This copies and compresses the dvd to fit a DVD R disk. WIth 3 beta 5 normally you just start progam, put in disk, it analizes it, selects a compresion to make it fit. Then you just need to tell it where to save the files. Has various options you can do, but not needed. Great program!

SO you make a folder on your drive, VIDEO_TS (all caps) and rip to that folder. Also make a AUDIO_TS folder (stays empty) Burn both to DVD R.

As far as burning, I used nero Video DVD. It seemed to work fine, all my disks were playing in my player (Norcent DP300) and others I tested in also. I also was authoring my own disks with Tmpgenc DVD author, also used the built in burner. I just bought a Norcent DP312 player and half my disks don't work in it! I think it's the half burned with Nero! All my disks stil work great in the DP300. All my disks are the same disks, brand and speed, bought at the same time. You might want to stay away from Nero! Or at least test in the players you expect to us the disks in right away!!

Many people seem to like Record Now Max, I haven't tried it yet.

As far as Shrink goes, it's done a great job for me. I put both Lord of the rings onto DVD r. Each movie was 3 hrs on a DVD9, shrink shrunk the disk and I put it on a DVD R and on my Tv I can't tell the difference between the backup disk and the real one.

Ritek disks are supposedly about the most reliable of the low cost disks, I just got a pack of 25 printables for $1.40 each, course I'll need a disk printer and they aren't cheap!! 100pk/$130.
I ordered mine last weekend from rima.com just got them today (20 minutes ago), haven't opened the box yet. was shipped Monday. Optodisc (with a C not a K!!!) are supposedly as good, but cost a little less.

And many people have had problems puttig labels on DVDs and then the won't play! Best not to do that! So far I just write the title on the disk with a Sharpie type marker.

Oh ya, we have a video section now too guys
I asked blade about one and we got it.

[shaggy]

I use DVDshrink too, but its about 4 times as many steps. Good if you want to customize your disk, pick and choose what gets cut and what stays. It is free though, and there are some really good tutorials out there to take the guess work out of learning.

[canton_kid]

Yep, I support FREEWARE!

I buy all of it I can find! Well the price is right

Actually I do register and buy alot too if it's decent, unless I can do it just as well free!

There is a new type of progam that is supposed to be about 1 step, decryptes the disk with decrytper, makes and ISO file, shrinks with shrink, and writes the disk with Decrypter I think. All of it is free! Get decrypter, shrink, and the new program.

I haven't tried it yet, but supposedly if you want a one click solution that is it.
You can find it or info on it at doom9.org or dvdshrink.org.

Why get poor results with PAY tools, when you do better with FREE ones?

As I understand it, DVD Xcopy puts a notice or something that you are watching a backup?
Also it includes some type of file or such that prevents backing up the backup! You can do it anyway, same as a comercail disk, but why mess with it?
I mean that would be just great if you make a back up and the reall disk gets trashed! Your back to one disk again! And X Copy won't back it up???
I know there are many ways around that, but why put up with it in the first place??
That's the point in making a backup, incase one gets ruined you still have a copy! So by not being able to make a copy of the backup, you defeated the purpose of backup software when the first disk gets ruined. Which is when you also PROVED you do need that second copy!! Duh....

[nexus_7]

Any others? I just got a dvd burner today.

Greg

[canton_kid]

Making backups is really pretty simple.

Get DVDshrink, it will rip the DVD to your hard drive and if needed shrink it to fit on one DVD R disk.
Burn those files with your favorite burning software like Record Now Max, Decrypter I think burns also.

Get DVDDecrypter also. Free too.

I avoid Nero for burning DVD's though. Some of the disks I burned with nero work in my player but not in others sometimes.

Check out the tools section at dvdrhelp.com for the links to tons of free, demo, and pay tools.

Mostly I am making DVDs now. I love DVDshrink, often I capture at a higher bitrate for 1 movie per disk, then I also put both movies of a set on the same disk. When I do 2 on one disk I have a 6-7gig DVD and use shrink to fit it onto one DVD -r. Results are very good! I am doing that right now on the other system!

[b-man1]

i use Nero 6 for all my dvd burns...have done over 100 with no coasters and no compatibility issues. a buddy at work has done more than me with the same results.

canton--how are you reauthoring to get multiple movies on one dvd? i've tried that, but the chapters get messed up and i can't jump around between movies, etc.

[NOL1M1TMAN]

I use http://www.dvd2dvdr.com nice little tutorial site ...

[canton_kid]

When I put two movies on one disk I make new chapter points and menus too.

Mostly I used Tmpgenc DVD author. Love that program
First like Rescue From Gilligans Island and the Wackiest Wagon Train I capture each movie seperate then Author my DVDs, one for each movie. Then I sometimes will take both DVDs and make one disk with both. I add the DVDs into Tmpgenc DVD author then go through and make new menu's.

Course normally the DVD is larger than 4.7 gigs, so the program give me a warning I ignore and create the DVD anyway. I get 6or7 gigs so I use Shrink on it. Then I burn that to disk.
(You get a warning at about 4.7gig, but the program will actually do about 8-9gigs for a dual layer DVD)

Most the time I do very well, but ocasionally I lose a bit too much quality. Mostly depends how I did the capture and quality of the Tapes. Like the two I mentioned, just bought them used off E-bay as a Bob Denver set, but the quality of the tapes was not great even when new! 2 one 1 is ok, but not my best with these!

I also did similar with Titanic 2 tape collectors boxed set. Picked of 4 or 5 sets on a good deal.

Most I ever do with comercail DVDs though is shrink and burn for backups. I'd rather make my tapes into DVDs and create original ones also. Like a play I recorded for a theatre group.

[nexus_7]

Im trying dvd shrink right now. not really sure what the heck I am doing. Glad I have dvd rw's to test on.

Greg

[nexus_7]

I cant get a movie to fit to one dvd. VERY ANNOYING!

Greg